Apparatus for extracting grease and oil from garbage.



C. EDGERTON. APRAHATUS FUR EXTRACTING GREASE AND OIL FROM GARBAGE.

APPLICATION F|LED1uNE3.|91s.

1,260,887., Patented Mar. 26,191575.

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' APPLICATION FILED JUNES. 19H5. l l,260,887.- Patented Mar. 26,1918.

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CHARLES EDGERTON, OEPHILADELPI-IIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING GREASE ANID OIL FROM GARBAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

Applicationled June 3, 1916. Serial No. 101,565.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES EDGERTON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Extracting Grease and Oil from Garbage, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements 1n apparatus for use in extracting grease or oil from semisolid materials and more particularly for treatin kitchen waste commonly called garbage. is adapted for treating material of the character referred to by the process or method which includes adding to the material a suitable solvent, such as naphtha and after the liquid grease and oil has been withdrawn the Iraterial is subjected to the action of heat to dry it and drive 0E any of the solvent that may be retained therein.

Apparatus of the` character referred to is necessarily subjected to considerable pressure and as heretofore constructed it has been difficult to effectively prevent leakage which will interfere with the proper carrying out of the process, or to repair joints which may be disrupted. Again the agitation to which the material is commonly subjected during the drying step of the process frequently results in forcing a considerable amount of finely divided solid material into the oil or liquid delivery conduit, more. or

less filling the openings in the separating or' filtering screens usually employed. Another objection incident to apparatus as heretofore commonly constructed for carrying out the process referred to is that the shaft by which the agitating means are actuated is apt to become engaged with and wind thereon cord, wire, rags and so forth frequently found in garbage and this is likely to impede, if it does not actually prevent, proper operation of the parts.

By the present invention there is provided an apparatus which is free from the objections above noted that have been incident to the constructions heretofore proposed or employed for carrying out the ,same general process. Y

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 lis a vertical sectional vie through an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

ig. 2 is a plan view partly in `horizontal he apparatus.

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail sectional views on an enlarged scale, the plane of the latter being indicated by the line ta-4 on Fig. 2.

In the drawings many of the parts are shown more or less conventionally and it will be understood of course that there can be considerable variation in the relative sizes and proportions of parts as well as other details of construction without departing from the invention.

Referring to the drawings the apparatus includes a main tank-like receptacle, commonly made of steel, comprising a bottom section A, a top B and an intermediate body C. As shown the tank-like receptacle is of circular form in horizontal cross section and the top and bottom portions are respectively dish and'dome shaped being provided with oppositely directed vertically extending annu ar flanges a, b to which the body section C is secured by suitable rivets. As shown, the body section C surrounds the flanges a, b and it will be seen thatall of the joints between ,said sections are exposed so that they may be readily tightened and closed or repaired as may be necessary.

. Within the receptacle and supported by suitable angle iron brackets D, shown as secured to the upwardly extending flange a of the bottom section A, is arranged a false bottom. This comprises a plurality `of superposed perforated plates or screen-like members. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, two superposed perforated plates or screen-like members E, E', are employed, the lower member E resting directly on and attached to the circular angle supporting brackets D. Between the plates E, E is arranged a filter disk, which may bea tive mesh screen.` The upper member or perforated plate E of the false bottom is adapted to be adjusted relative to the other plate so that the openings or perforations therein may be moved to and from alinement with the apertures in the lower plate E. `Such adjustment is effected by moving the plate E bodily and in the embodimentfof the invention illustrated such sliding movement is about a central axis or pivot formed by theshaft for driving the agitator hereinafter referred to. When fires 0r apertures. in .the traplesee-1ia alinement and the solvent may readily pass therethrough. When the material in the receptacle is to be dried and it is not desired to allow anv thereof to pass into or through the perforations in the false bottom the upper member or plate E is given a slight sliding movement suficient to bring its perforations or apertures out of alinement with those in the member E and the bottom is thereby rendered impcrforate. Any suitable means may be employed for effecting the required relative adjustment between the plates or members E, E. As shown, a vertical shaft F is provided which extends through the top of the tank and is provided at its outer end with a handle or crank while adjacent its lower end it is connected by a suitable arm with the plate E. By turning the shaft F through its handle the plate E may be readily adjusted relative to the plate E to render the false bottom perforate or imperforate as desired.

The material to be treated is designed to be introduced into the receptacle through a suitable opening provided with a removable door or closure, preferably arranged in the top B and the dried material may be withdrawn through a suitable door formed in the body C. The top may also be provided with suitable glass covered apertures G to enable the operators to inspect the interior of the tank withoutI opening the doors through which material is supplied or withdrawn.

On the top B is mounted the means provided for driving the agitating devices by which the material is stirred whenever desired. As shown the agitator comprises a vertical shaft I-I mounted in bearings secured respectively on beams ,arranged in the bottom Vsection A and top B, and radially projecting arms or blades I. The latter are shown relatively close to the false bottom. At its upper end the shaft H is provided with a bevel gear H with which meshes a suitable pinion on a shaft K mounted in bearings on the top A and this shaft -is connected by suitable gearing with a counter shaft L onwhich are mounted fast and loose pulleys L', L2, adapted tobe engaged by a belt, not shown. The body of the shaft. I-I within "the tank-like receptacle is surrounded by a sleeve the upper end of which is secured to the top B while 'the lower end fits in a groove in the hub, to which the arms or blades I ja're secured. This 'stationary sleeve, fit'will ybe seen, prevents direct. contact between the shaft 'and any articles in the Ymaterial being treated which might be engaged thereby and wound `thereon as the shaft rotates. j j

.Heating 4"or `drying vof athe material in fthe "receptacle is effected rby "s'uitableusteam coils. VAs 'Sheitan-"a horizontal 'coil O "is "arranged beneath "the m`false bttom, fb'eing -suppoited on suitable channel bars or beams carried by the bottom. section A. `Additional verti cally arranged coils P, P are provided above the false bottom, said Coils being supported in such manner as not to interfere with the hereinbefore described adjustment of the plate E. As shown, the coils P, P are each substantially of semi-circular form so that together they extend practically completely around the interior of the receptacle. The several coils are so arranged and constructed that any part or all thereof may be detached and withdrawn through the door provided for removal of material from the tank as may be necessary' to repair or replace them. Y

rI`he manner of using and advantages of the apparatus described will be readily understood and appreciated. It will be seen that when the plates E, E are properly ad justed the solvent, for example naphtha, introduced in any suitable manner may readily flow therethrough and outof the outlet a. provided at the lowest point in the bottom section A. It' desired the solvent may be caused to flow back and forth through the false bottom by the action of a suitable pump and the material may be agitated or stirred by the blades I. The dish-like shape of the bottom section A assists in directing the solvent and extracted oil and grease to the discharge opening a and the dome#like shape of the top B assists in concentrating the vapors at a common point from which, if desired, they can be readily withdrawn. After the grease and oil contained in the Inaterial treated have been extracted by the ac-` tion of the solvent the plate or member E is adjusted to render the false bottom imperforate and steam is then supplied to the several coils to heat and dry the material, during which operation the agitator is again operated.

It will be seen that the false bottom extends entirely across the receptacle so 'that a maximum amount of drainage surface is provided and also that any and `all of the parts are readily accessible forpinspection, repair or replacement. j j

Having thus described vthe invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by 'Letters Patent is: Y 1. In an apparatus for extractinggrease and oil from garbage, `thecombination of a tank-like receptacle, a false bottom within said Vreceptacle Vcomprising a plurality of Vsuperposed screen-like members, means for agitating the contents of the receptacle above the false bottom, and means for `Keffecting relative adjustment of the members of the false `'bottom to render said bottom imperforate. Y

2. In an apparatus "for 'extracting' Agrease a'n'd oil .from garbage, the combination `v` oj-f Va tank-like receptacle, a false bottom'within said receptacle comprising a plurality of Vsuperposed screen-like members, one of tom, and means for moving the movable member of said bottom.

3. In an apparatus for extracting grease and oil from garbage, the combination of a tank-like receptacle, a false bottom within said receptacle comprising a plurality of superposed screen-like members, a rotary agitator within the chamber above the false bottom, means for heating the contents of the receptacle, and means for effecting relative adjustment of the members of said bottom to close the openings therethrough.

4t. In an apparatus for extracting grease and oil from garbage, the combination of a tank-like receptacle, a false bottom within the receptacle comprising two, relatively movable, perforated plates and an intermediate lter disk, means for effecting relative movement between the perforated plates to prevent the passage of liquid or material through the false bottom, means for heating material in the receptacle, and an agitator within the receptacle above the false bottom.

5. In an apparatus for extracting grease and oil from garbage, the combination of a tank-like receptacle, a false bottom within Copies of this patent may be obtained for the receptacle comprising two relatively movable perforated plates, whereby the passage of material or liquid through said bottom can be prevented, and a heating coil arranged close to the wall of the receptacle only in the space above the false bottom.

6. In an apparatus for extracting grease and oil from garbage, the combination of a tank-like receptacle, a false bottom within the tank adapted to be rendered perforate or imperforate at will, a horizontal heatingV coil within the space below the false bottom and extending throughout substantially the entire area of said bottom, a heating coil arranged adjacent the vertical wall only of the space above the false bottom, and means for agitating material within the tank above the false bottom.

7. In an apparatus for extracting grease and oil from garbage, the combination of a tank-like receptacle, a substantially hori- Zontal heating coil supported within the receptacle, a false bottom arranged above said coil and comprising a plurality of superposed screen-like plates, means for effecting relative adjustment of said plates to render the false 4bottom imperforate, means for heating the space in the receptacle above the false bottom, and means for agitating the material supported on said false bottom.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature.

CHARLES ED GERTON.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latenta, Washington, D. C. 

